New Years Cheer
by Ankaris123
Summary: One-shot. AU. Holidays are times for cheer and joy; it definitely shouldn't be spent frowning. AlxMatt.


**Warning:**** BL, kissing, AlxMatt.**

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"One medium London Fog."

Matthew looked up from the free newspaper he was hunched over as a steaming mug was pushed towards him. He accepted his order with a quiet thank you, blowing softly on the foamy surface. Peering up through long lashes at the other man, he wondered why he was still there.

The server, a well-built blond man, grinned merrily at him and dragged an armchair over from the grated fireplace, sitting down across from him.

They were the only occupants of the cramped suburban café. Everyone else was at home, out at some bar or restaurant, or wandering the streets waiting for the New Years countdown for their time zone.

Hot tea sliding down his throat, Matthew hummed appreciatively at the sensation, relaxing into the cozy warmth of his own chair.

"Pretty cold out, huh?" the server commented, resting his chin on a propped up arm. He made no indication of leaving him alone any time soon. His single customer had come in at barely ten minutes to midnight bundled up warmly, tuque, mittens, scarf, boots, and all. The chilly blast of wind that came in with him tingled something awful up his spine.

"If you think negative four degree Celsius is cold," Matthew replied, picking up his ballpoint pen and returning to the crossword puzzle. "It's all about preparation."

_15 down. Happy New Years. (abbrev.)_

He penned in the three letters patiently as the clock over head ticked closer and closer to the New Year.

"Yeah, I would say it's cold. Don't normally get this sort of weather back home down South."

"New to Canada then? Welcome to Vancouver," he paused to glance at the nametag pinned to his lapel, "Alfred."

"New-ish, but thanks. I'm substituting for my brother, he owns this café but my nephew begged him to go home for the countdown, so here I am," Alfred chuckled and then withdrew a couple pieces of golden-wrapped chocolate from his pocket. Unwrapping one, he popped its contents into his mouth.

"Aren't those for the customers?" the Vancouverite said, softly without accusation as he watched the other blond devour another two. The newspaper margin was covered in scribbles now as he doodled absentmindedly across the flimsy paper.

"Yeah, but if you don't tell anyone, I won't tell." A mischievous glint flashed across his cornflower blue eyes. Matthew barely had time to react as a square of chocolate was pushed into his mouth.

"And that," Alfred said, withdrawing his hand, "makes you my accomplice. You spill and we're both in trouble, capiche?"

Feeling his face heat up, he lowered his head hoping the redness from the frigid winds outside hid his blush. But he nodded slowly, chewing and swallowing the treat.

"So, what's your excuse?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you come all the way here on a night like this?"

Matthew blinked at his question and then turned away to look at the television screen mounted on the wall to his right. It was on some channel, airing the festivities of Downtown live. His expression shifted to something unrecognizable as the camera panned over the crowd.

"I just had to get away from it all," he said, voice barely above a whisper. In the silent establishment (apart from the ticking clock and lowered volume on the TV), it was still audible to Alfred's ears. His hand darted forward, snagging the ballpoint from Matthew's hands and dragging his attention away from the display. A surprised look replaced his previous one as Alfred filled in one of the rows upside down, the S written the wrong way around.

"Yeah, I know that feeling. Sometimes you just have to get out, get some fresh air, some personal space, but is it really alright to spend the rest of this year away from them?"

He received no reply for a moment then there was a clink as the mug was raised to thin lips and replaced on its saucer again. When he looked up, Matthew's gaze had returned to the television, the images reflecting on the lens of his glasses.

"They wouldn't miss me." The camera changed to show the numerous hosts on stage, getting ready for the countdown. Tension in the crowd peaked as the timer dropped down to two digits.

Both said nothing, one watching the screen, the other fixated on the other blond.

_10, 9_.

Alfred sighed, dropping the pen.

_8, 7._

With a careless swipe, the gold wrappers drifted as light as snowflakes to the floor. He'll clean it up later.

_6, 5._

Eyebrows knitting together, his deep violet eyes remained focussed on the screen, the hosts now waving frantically to hype up the crowd.

_4, 3._

Alfred reached forward, this time grasping the other by the chin and jerking his gaze away. The same (yet uniquely different) look of surprise returned, much more preferable to the unfathomable troubled expression he had before.

_2._

Without easing his hold, he leaned across the small round table, holding his breath. Never once did he break their locked gaze.

_1_.

They met halfway for a brief moment. The television exploded with incoherent noise and excitement.

Then they parted, stopping with barely a hair's breadth of space between them as though waiting for the other to back off first.

"Happy New Year," Alfred breathed, resting the brunt of weight on his free arm and the table. "Um…"

"Matthew," he said thickly, waiting for the physical signs of embarrassment to catch up with his brain. "My name is Matthew."

"Right," a handsome smile blossomed on his face, his cheeks noticeably pink; an aspect that was comforting to the aforementioned blond. "Happy New Year, Matt," Alfred said, shortening the distance between again and licking the foam off the corner of Matthew's smile.

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_A/Ns_: Uhhhhh, Happy New Year, everyone! Er, I don't know why I wrote this but I did, so, um, yeah. Fast little thing I wrote after seeing a couple kiss in front of the camera shortly after the countdown (and after half an hour of sitting and doing nothing, yay). Hopefully everyone will have a nice year this 2011 and hopefully I will update more often. Seriously, how do you other people update so fast and write so much? Is there a secret?

Also, uh, this ficlet had no real meaning to it. It's completely random, so if you don't get it, there's probably nothing to get.

**Happy New Year! Thanks for reading, folks!**


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